In Flight Entertainment Is No Longer Limited To Winning Merchandise

Aviation need not be a stuffy sector and innovation is most welcome but I was speechless at Cebu Pacific’s latest “innovation.”

I am no prig, but this makes my molars grind in disbelief. Flight attendants are beacons of dignity: you have to respect them as authoritative frontliners with impeccable manners, polished behaviours and unshakeable air of graciousness and pride of her job. This is supposed to be fun for Cebu pacific but I hit the replay button in hope that the “fun-ness” of it will win me over with repeated viewing (sometimes things just grow on you) but I still have that sinking feeling of disappointment. I fly Cebu Pacific all the time and Fun Games is cool but this stunt robs the hardworking flight attendant a sense of nobility. Aviation is not a chorus line for Wowowee, Eat Bulaga or Showtime. There is a need for us to trust and respect the men and women who ensure our well being thousands of miles above the ground. It is humbling enough to serve every whim of people much lesser than you are; it’s demeaning when your safety precaution measures/message is drowned by ghoulish pop tune and bad choreography.

Passengers should pay attention to instructions, not swaying hips and jiggly boobs.

Floored

Precisely what came to mind, this particular episode/song from Across the Universe, when I suddenly remembered you.

Page Fetish

Rescuer of Makati pusakals slash Dutch lensman Mark Mulder messaged me straight from Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago. His earthshaking question via SMS centred on my favourite fixation: what kind of magazines do I want for him to bring back to Manila? Friends would know that the question is like asking whether I prefer crack or heroin. My thumb automatically zipped through my phone’s keyboard spelling out a hard to get title. Mr. Mulder however surprised me by adding these two titles in his pasalubong bag. I have back issues of Sleek Magazine and I welcome into my ever expanding collection of print fetish the edgy Blend\ Magazine. Thank you very much Mr. Mulder and Marvie for lugging the titles all the way from Netherlands! (See you on your housewarming!)

Excuse me while I inhale fresh ink and fondle gorgeous paper.

Itai! *

Flying back to Manila I was gripped with sudden hunger while waiting for the evening flight. I decided to sample the offerings of a nearby café/stall inside the airport. My curiosity peaked when I beheld am Italian-looking dish called “Tokyo Surprise.” It’s spaghetti with cream sauce and other ingredients that are not sharing the orbit of anything Japanese. Naturally I had to have it. I lunged a forkful into my naive mouth and got the answer to the Tokyo Surprise promise: The pseudo-Japanese dish is served in temperature approximate to that of the center of the sun! The instant image that flashed in my head as I hysterically grabbed a glass of water is the circular core of the flag of Japan! Tokyo “Surprise” indeed!

* Itai! - Ouch in Japanese

Literacy Unplugged

Gloomy Gussies who anticipate the death of print with much glee I have indisputable proof that magazines and books are still irreplaceable and it looks like this:

Welcome to the future where literacy is dependent on battery.